


Cold-wind Comfort

by Kiraly



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Belly Rubs, Cuddling & Snuggling, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Seasickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-24 02:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8353351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraly/pseuds/Kiraly
Summary: On the boat from the Silent World, Lalli's seasickness makes for a miserable journey. It's up to Emil to help him through it as best he can.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArgylePirateWD](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgylePirateWD/gifts).



> Hello Trick-or-Treater! I hope you enjoy this extra little treat. I saw your letter and just couldn't help myself.

“There he goes again.”

Emil woke from his doze at Sigrun’s remark. He blinked his eyes open just in time to see Lalli bolt for the door, face tinted that telltale greenish hue. A draft of cold air entered the cabin in the wake of his departure, stirring the pages of Mikkel’s book. The medic laid a hand on the page but otherwise gave no sign that he’d noticed anything.

“Shouldn’t you do something for him?” Emil demanded. Lalli had been sick like this ever since the quarantine ship picked them up, and Mikkel’s supreme indifference was grating on his nerves.

“He’s seasick. We tried the usual remedy, and as you can see it didn’t work. There’s nothing else to be done, other than making sure he drinks plenty of fluids.”

Emil ground his teeth and wished, not for the first time, that Tuuri wasn’t sealed away in a quarantine room somewhere.  _ She  _ knew what was normal for her cousin, and she wouldn’t let Mikkel get away with ignoring something like this. But the non-immunes were sequestered away, and would be for another week and a half. Which meant it was all up to Emil.

“Fine. I’ll take him some water, then.” He snatched a flask and a blanket, then exited the cabin through the same door Lalli had taken. Because of their immunity, the rest of the team had been granted a cabin with a private deck and a door that led to the rest of the ship—but because they’d just been in the Silent World stirring up who-knew-what kinds of old contaminants, they were encouraged to keep to themselves. That suited Emil fine, especially with Lalli under the weather. He didn’t need any strangers staring at him while he hurled the contents of his stomach over the side.

The wind was colder than Emil had expected. It cut through his sweater almost immediately, and he regretted not stopping for his uniform jacket. Poor Lalli didn't even have a sweater, only had his thin black shirt, and Emil could see him shivering as he hunched over the rail. He turned his head at Emil’s approach, misery etched across his features.

“Emil.” Lalli’s voice came out even softer than usual. “Not-no. Go. Don’t—” He turned back to stare over the edge, shuddering.

Emil was impressed that Lalli had managed that much Swedish; if he’d been the one who was sick, his limited grasp of Finnish would have gone right out the window. Lack of sleep and an inability to keep food down hadn’t done Lalli any favors, but even sleep deprived, he was still better at languages than Emil.

“Lalli, I know you don’t want anyone to see you like this, but...it’s just me. I’m not going to leave you out here by yourself when you’re sick. Let me help?”

After a long pause, Lalli sighed. “Fine.”

Taking that as a good sign, Emil said, “Are you finished for now? I brought water.” He offered the flask, and Lalli took it, managing the cap without help. He spit the first mouthful over the side, then sipped slowly.

When Emil was reasonably certain the water wasn’t going to come straight back up, he laid a hand on Lalli’s back. “Come on. You’re freezing, let’s get out of the wind.” Lalli stared at him—maybe that had been too much Swedish too fast—so Emil held up the blanket and indicated an alcove further along the deck. It wasn’t much, but it should keep the breeze off.

“Mrr.” Lalli didn’t seem convinced, but he allowed Emil to wrap an arm around him and guide him to the sheltered spot. Emil sat, patting the deck next to him in invitation. Lalli looked at the open space, looked at Emil—and then settled himself on Emil’s lap.

“Oh.” Emil could feel his ears going red. Lalli didn’t seem to mind, or maybe he didn’t notice, because he leaned his head on Emil’s shoulder and closed his eyes. “Well. All right then. When I hoped we’d have some alone time on this boat, this wasn’t exactly what I meant...but I’ll take what I can get.” Emil draped the blanket over them, making sure to cover as much of Lalli as possible. The thick wool cut the wind, and he could feel Lalli’s shivers abating as the heat returned to his chilled limbs. When he was sure there wouldn’t be any annoying drafts coming in, Emil brought his own arms under the cover and wrapped them around Lalli.

Emil could feel the ribs through Lalli’s thin shirt, and the gentle rise and fall of his breath. He let one hand slide down to rest on Lalli’s waist, and with the other he began to rub slow circles on Lalli’s stomach. Lalli moaned, and Emil froze—but then Lalli brought a hand up to cover his.

“Don’t stop. Feels...nice.”

So Emil resumed the motion, and Lalli sighed and snuggled closer. In a fit of daring, Emil slipped his hand under Lalli’s shirt, which made Lalli shiver in a way that had nothing to do with the cold. Emil’s world narrowed to the feeling of Lalli’s skin under his fingers, the heat where their bodies touched. Every now and then Lalli sighed with contentment, until eventually his breathing sank into the steady rhythm of sleep. Emil pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

“I hope the sleep will help,” he whispered. “You deserve a rest more than anyone. You’ve been so strong.” He could feel his own eyelids drooping, but he wanted to savor this moment. He held someone precious in the circle of his arms, close in a way they hadn’t been before. Emil wasn’t ready to let go.

“And I hope you know,” he continued, barely breathing the words for fear of waking Lalli, “that I’d like to do this again. Sometime when you aren’t sick.” Easy words to say now, with Lalli asleep. He’d have to work up the nerve to say them again later.

Or maybe not. “Sounds...nice,” came the whisper, barely understandable as Swedish. “Sleep now.”

So Emil held Lalli closer, and did as he asked.


End file.
